A FOOD TRADITION

Afro-Caribbean Panamanian Cuisine

Afro-Caribbean Panamanian cuisine developed along the Caribbean coast and in communities shaped by West Indian migration, especially around Colón, Bocas del Toro, and the Canal Zone. It combines Caribbean cooking methods with local seafood, coconut, plantains, cassava, rice, beans, peppers, and aromatic herbs. Coconut milk is used in soups, stews, and rice dishes; fish and shellfish may be fried, simmered, or cooked in heavily seasoned broths. Recognizable examples include rondón, a coconut-based seafood or meat stew; saus, pickled pig’s feet with vegetables; and coconut rice served with fish or shellfish. Its history is shared across the wider Caribbean rather than exclusive to Panama.

Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.